Tires are Critical for Optimal Fleet Performance

There’s a direct correlation between a fleet operator’s tires and the operator’s success. The simple fact is that tires keep trucks moving, and any type of delay is costly. Add to that the importance of tires when it comes to safety and overall efficiencies, and you can easily see the relationship between operator success and tire management. Ultimately, it directly impacts profits. 

In a recent conversation with Brian Cunningham, the Vice President of Fleet Sales at Bridgestone, one of the oldest and largest tire and rubber companies, we spoke about the importance of technology and tire management. Brian, a 26-year veteran of the industry, fully understands this as the person in charge of the company’s sales. 

He shared, “You know, a lot of us forget that the tires are the only thing that touch the ground in that vehicle when it’s moving. And, you know, drivers and operators of vehicles need to know what’s going on with those tires. So, it’s much, much more than buying a tire. That’s the lowest cost. It’s a total cost of ownership.” 

He continues, speaking of tires as a forgotten component of fleet safety, “It’s unless it goes bad on you, you don’t think about it…” Being proactive is critical, and today, there’s technology to ensure that’s possible. He shares, “We now have algorithms that will tell you what a slow leak on a tire will do to that tire within so many days.”